The Joys of Magical Mistletoe
by Gina R Snape
Summary: Snape gets trapped under some magical mistletoe until Tonks decides if she'll free him. One shot response to the Severus Festivus challenge on Veresnas Veneries Too. COMPLETE


"The Joys of Magical Mistletoe" by Gina R Snape  
  
Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and WB. I intend no infringement upon their rights and make no profit from this.  
  
A/N: This story is in response to the Severus Festivus fic challenge on Veresnas Veneries Too.  
  
****   
  
The Weasley twins tip-toed out of the kitchen, giggling conspiratorially. Grimmauld Place was near empty now, but in a few short minutes it would be buzzing with activity.  
  
Molly had finished making the punch, eggnog and snacks, and had gone upstairs to finish getting ready.  
  
Ginny came tumbling down the stairs. "What are you two on about?" she asked in a singsong voice.  
  
"Just adding to the decorations," George replied innocently.  
  
"And improving mum's eggnog recipe," Fred continued, right behind him.  
  
Ginny nodded and chuckled.  
  
It was Christmastime, and Dumbledore had decided to use Grimmauld Place for a party for the Order members. After all the hard work and tension, he thought a little light frivolity was in order.   
  
Sirius came down the stairs and saw the three of them milling about. "And what's going on here?" he asked.  
  
"Just waiting for the party to start," Ginny smiled back innocently, rocking back and forth from heels to toes.  
  
Sirius knew she was lying and poked his head through the door. He sniffed the air like a dog and looked back. "Eggnog smells good. But, just how much rum did you put in it?" he smiled, his eyes crinkling in amusement.  
  
"Just enough to make it fun," George and Fred replied in unison, their faces beaming.  
  
"Very well, then," Sirius patted them on the shoulders. "Anything else I should know about?"  
  
"You might not want to get caught under the mistletoe," the boys 'fessed up. Sirius looked up and nodded in agreement.  
  
Slowly, the house began filling with Order members. Some relaxed in the living room, but it quickly became obvious this was not a good idea.  
  
"BLOOD TRAITORS! VILE MUDBLOODS AND HALF-BREEDS! SOILING THE HOUSE OF BLACK WITH YOUR REVELLING!" Mrs. Black's portrait was not happy to see the crowd enjoying themselves.  
  
Molly and Lupin rushed in and closed the drapes over the portrait. "Everyone, into the kitchen please!" she commanded politely, and ushered the crowd down the stairs. She strung a row of fairy lights with her wand, which pointed and waved all newcomers down.  
  
Lupin was the first to enter the kitchen, and found himself immobilized within seconds. Looking up, he realised the culprit-magical mistletoe. He was compelled to remain fixed to the spot until an "eligible" person came over and freed him with a kiss.   
  
The twins laughed and pointed. "Very funny, boys," Lupin chuckled. "Now, who's going to free me?"   
  
Hermione blushed and walked up. "I'll help you," she offered, and innocently kissed him on the cheek. Little angels sprang forth from the mistletoe and trumpeted. Lupin was freed from his spot.  
  
"Cheers, Hermione," he smiled. "Happy Christmas!"  
  
One by one, guests became trapped under the mistletoe to the children's amusement. Perhaps it was the festive mood, or maybe the spiked eggnog. In any event, no one seemed upset and most partygoers were game to participate. Only Molly was just about ready to snatch it away when Severus Snape walked in.  
  
"Professor Snape! Welcome!" she smiled, handing him a glass of eggnog. Snape looked around at the partygoers and frowned. He took the eggnog and sniffed, rolled his eyes and downed the contents in one swallow.   
  
"I'm going to need that to put up with this evening," he groused to himself. Surveying the crowd, he sneered after eyeing several people he had no interest in mingling with casually-Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, the Weasley children, Harry and Hermione. In fact, he'd only shown up under Dumbledore's orders to "relax and have a good time for a change." Oddly enough, Dumbledore himself hadn't arrived yet.  
  
Snape eyed Minerva McGonagall and started making his way over to her. She he could at least tolerate for a few minutes of idle chitchat. The crowd parted in response to his movement, when suddenly he found himself frozen to the spot.   
  
"What the...?" he shouted, looking up annoyed. There was a hushed silence in the room. No one dared laugh. But even worse, no one dared come forward to free him. Snape folded his arms and narrowed his eyes menacingly, scanning the crowd. This only served to cause the partygoers to back away more.  
  
"That's no way to obtain your freedom," Minerva chuckled, finally breaking the silence. "I would kiss you myself, but as you know I am spoken for..." She smiled mischievously, tapping his shoulder sympathetically before turning around. The crowd went back to its merrymaking and left Severus standing there. Lupin came up and offered him some more eggnog and a plate of Christmas biscuits. "Until someone comes round," he chided softly.  
  
"Ah, the joys of magical mistletoe," Sirius sang out.  
  
Snape grabbed the food and drink and snarled. Sirius sat up on a wooden counter and kicked his feet up. He was enjoying the spectacle of an angry, immobilized Snape. He was sure that had he been trapped under the mistletoe, a string of single women would have materialized to line up and free him.  
  
Frustrated and angry, Snape silently stewed and sipped his drink. He tapped his foot and continued scanning the partygoers for an unattached female willing to help. But not a moment too soon, Tonks walked in and a satisfied smirk appeared on his face. Sirius noticed the change in his composure and glanced at the door. "Oh, it's only my cousin," he thought in unsuspecting relief. Little did he know that the mission Dumbledore had sent Snape and Tonks on a few months before had resulted in a new 'friendship' between the two-one that came with a nice discreet benefits 'package.'  
  
Tonks made her way over to the food and tapped Sirius on the knee. "Hey, cuz! Nice crowd you got here," she smiled, popping a crisp in her mouth and pouring a drink.   
  
"Yeah, great party," he grinned. "I especially like the decorations," he grinned, pointing at Snape trapped under the mistletoe.  
  
"Oh, what's going on there?" she smirked, looking Snape up and down. She winked at him and licked her lips. He raised an eyebrow, and then beckoned her over with his index finger. Tonks took a last look at Sirius and bounced over to Snape, tripping over her own two feet as she went. She stood up quickly and straightened her outfit, teasingly showing Snape a bit of leg in the process. Sirius sat up attentively, expecting Tonks to torment him and walk away. No one else seemed to be paying attention to the poor bastard trapped under the mistletoe any longer.  
  
"Hello, Severus!" she beamed. "I didn't think you'd be making it tonight. But I see you're getting into the spirit of things!"  
  
"Ho, ho, ho," he sneered. "Now, free me from this bloody trap!" he insisted.  
  
Tonks rubbed her foot against his leg coquettishly and considered her options. "Well, if I'm not mistaken, the only way to free you is with a kiss," she toyed, tapping her lips with a finger. "And, if I'm also not mistaken, we've already had a conversation about your distaste for public displays." She pointed at him playfully and poked him in the shoulder. "Pity I can't help you then," she batted her eyelashes and clucked her tongue with a "tsk, tsk," sound.  
  
Snape hissed, then grabbed her by the shoulders and whispered in her ear. "Ah yes, but this is mistletoe...the perfect cover. You've wanted your excuses to flaunt yourself, and now you've got it. So free me and be done with it!"  
  
Tonks grinned evilly and ran a finger up his chest. "I'm not so sure I want to now," she lilted. "A public kiss might not be enough to satisfy me anymore."  
  
A silent rage began to grow inside Severus. He could not grab and kiss her to free himself. She had to initiate willingly. Such were the rules of magical mistletoe. He considered sweetening the deal.  
  
"Fine, then," he relented. "Kiss me and we'll apparate back to your place. I'll do that special thing you like so much." He tickled her chin and then shook his right hand, stretching his fingers in anticipation of a healthy workout.  
  
Tonks grinned from ear to ear and took Snape's hand in hers. "Promise?" she hummed, batting her eyelashes again.  
  
Sirius sat up. He was not pleased to see his cousin and his enemy flirting so comfortably with one another. Snape caught Sirius' eye and smiled. "Oh, I promise," he whispered in her ear, which sent shivers down her spine.  
  
Tonks pulled Snape down to her by his robes and planted a passionate kiss on him. Several angels came flying out of the mistletoe and trumpeted loudly, circling around their head. Snape gave in to the temptation despite himself, and the two began snogging passionately. The crowd stopped to look around.   
  
Ron and Harry looked on in horror. "My eyes!" Ron cried.  
  
"Oh shut up!" Hermione swatted him on the back and drew their attention away from the spectacle.  
  
"Hey!" Sirius barked. But it was too late. Snape waved a mocking good-bye and sneered, and a moment later he and Tonks vanished with a pop.  
  
Molly rushed over and distracted him. "Come, Sirius, let's roast some chestnuts" she tried to placate him.   
  
"I'll roast his chestnuts!" he barked again, and stomped off out of the room.  
  
****   
  
Meanwhile, Severus and Tonks had apparated to her flat in London. They stumbled onto her bed, groping and pawing and snogging uncontrollably.  
  
"Wait," she panted, and grabbed her wand to light a fire. Snape looked up and saw some thigh high stockings hung from the mantle to dry.  
  
He raised an eyebrow in arousal, but Tonks was one step ahead of him. She kicked off her shoes and stripped off her dress. The stockings disappeared from the fireplace and reappeared on her legs. Christmas bows were tied to her nipples and tiny Christmas bells were magically suspended from her labia. Her pubic hair was shaped and coloured to look like a Christmas tree.  
  
"Happy Christmas, Severus" she cooed. "It's time to collect your present."  
  
"I, uh, asked Dumbledore to insist you attend," she continued, anticipating the question.  
  
Snape waved his wand and divested himself of his clothing, then reached out to pull one of the bows. "Ah, for once, the perfect gift," he responded approvingly, licking her nipple then scooping her up and tossing her onto the bed.   
  
A man of his word, Snape reached under her tree and began reciprocating with his own special gift. "Now it's time to collect yours," he cooed back. "Happy Christmas, Tonks." 


End file.
